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salem middle school

450 North Mark St. West Salem, WI 54669 Phone - (608) 786-2090

Fax - (608) 786-1081

Special points of interest:

Inside this Issue:

Registration info iPad info

2

Online Enrollment Verification steps

3

Lunch Prices 4

Upcoming Dates School Nurse info

5

Athletic Registration Sports info

6

Band info 8

Lockers, Panther Time etc.

9

RevTrak information 10

Note from Office 11

2017-2018 School Calendar

12

Harvest of the Month 13

2017 Volume 6 - Issue 1

“Meet Us in the Middle”

WEB - “Where Everybody Belongs”

From the Principal’s Desk…

WEB is a middle school orientation and transition program that welcomes 6th graders and makes them feel comfortable throughout the first year of their middle school experience. Built on the belief that students can help students succeed, the program trains mentors from your 8th grade class to be WEB Leaders. As positive role models, WEB Leaders are mentors and student leaders who guide the 6th graders to discover what it takes to be successful during the transition to middle school and help facilitate 6th grade success.

More and more studies show that if students have a positive experience their first year in middle school, their chance for success increases dramatically. WEB provides the striation for 6th graders to receive support and guidance from 8th graders who have been through the challenges that middle school poses and understand that the transition to a larger school can sometimes be overwhelming.

WEB also acts as an anti-bullying program for our school by providing a cadre of student leaders who look for bullying behavior and help stop it. WEB gives older students permission to be aware of and report any negative behavior they see, creating a safer school for everybody.

WEB Leaders Training - August 21-22 from 8:00-1pm WEB Orientation for 6th graders - August 23 from 8:15-11:30am

Welcome back! If you have passed by the campus lately, you have noticed we are undergoing quite a few changes! Construction at the Middle School Site is well underway. We will have updates on the process within the newsletter this year, so stay tuned! In this edition, your packet should include a grade level pamphlet, this newsletter, and a Lifetouch picture form.

Registration will take place on Monday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 15 from 12pm-4pm and 5pm-7pm.

Open House will be on Tuesday, August 29 from 5pm-6:30pm. This is

an opportunity for students to drop off supplies, practice locker combinations, walk through schedules, and meet staff.

Please be prepared for a Skyward message to be sent out closer to these dates regarding parking and entrances related to where we will be within the construction process on site.

Enjoy the rest of summer with friends and family!

Ben Wopat Principal twitter.com/coachwopat

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“Meet Us in the Middle”

RegistrationMiddle School registration will be on Monday, August 14 & Tuesday, August 15 from 12-4pm and 5pm-7pm.

Have your child’s school picture taken by Lifetouch and pickup your child’s schedule as well as their locker combination(s).

**You can turn in your child’s physical or alternate year card in at registration**

Payment of fees: Again this year the RevTrak service fees will be waived for the month of August. Besides the fees, you are also able to pay on your lunch account. Please see page 9 for instructions.

iPad Insurance - $25.00

Gr. 6 end of school trip to Jellystone - $8.00

Gr. 6, 7, 8 Spring Performance - $7.00 Gr. 7 & 8 Fall Performance - $7.00

Gr. 8 class t-shirt - $10.00

Breakfast is $1.85 (single entree) $1.55 for an extra entree Lunch - $2.85 (single entree) $2.55 for an extra entree

If you are unable to pay online, you will need to bring separate checks or cash to the registration days (August 15 or 16). All fees can be on one check however; Lunch account payments will need to be on a separate check made payable to West Salem School District.

iPad✦ iPads will be distributed within the first week of school

✦ iPads may be taken home *please note page 3 of the Technology Use Agreement regarding the iPad insurance.

✦ Advisors will review “Standards for Proper Device Care” found on pages 5-7 of the School District of West Salem Student Technology Use Agreement.

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“Meet Us in the Middle”

Online Enrollment VerificationAgain this year we will have enrollment verification online. This will help ensure that information is updated correctly and in a timely manner.

This letter will outline the online verification process. Online verification can be completed starting August 1st.

To begin go the West Salem School District webpage at http://www.wsalem.k12.wi.us at the top banner click on Families then click on Skyward Family Access. If you need your login and/or password please email lochen.janel@wsalem.k12.wi.us.

Be sure to select your middle school student (a top of page)! The top left of the screen under the word HOME - click on “Online Enrollment Verification” then click on your child’s name. If you have more than one child you will need to complete each step for each child. This takes you step by step through registration.

Step 1 - Verify Student Information - Select the ”Verify Student Information”. Here you can request changes to your students information. Once all the information has bee updated and saved or if no changes need to be made, select the back button (upper right hand side of the screen). Check the box “I have competed this step”. You are now done with this step. It is very important to verify this information and make any necessary changes. We need EVERYONE to complete this step for each student, whether or not you make any changes.

Step 2 - Permission to Treat - Click to open the Permission to Treat form and check the boxes and type in the required information. Click on the Save button then check the box that you completed this step.

Step 3 - Permission Form - Photography Use - Select the button “Permission form”. Check the box if you wish to give permission to have photos/videos taken of your child. Save and check the box that you completed this step.

Step 4 - Student and Parent Handbook - Select the button “Student and Parent Handbook”. This will take you to the handbook. Please take a moment to read through the handbook. By checking the Step 10 box you are verifying that you have read this document.

Step 5 & 6 - Student Technology Handbook and Technology Use Agreement - Please take a minute to read the handbook with your child. By checking the Step 11 box you are verifying that you have read the handbook. By having your child type their name and parent typing their name as well as the date you are saying that you understand the Technology Use Agreement. Click save and check the Step 12 box.

Step 7 - Edmodo Use Agreement - By having your child type their name and a parent typing their name as well as the date you are saying that you understand the Edmodo Use Agreement. Click save and check the Step 13 box.

Step 8 - Quizlet Use Agreement - Required for 6th graders only - By having your child type their name and a parent typing their name as well as the date you are saying that you understand the Quizlet Use Agreement. Click save and check the Step 14 box.

Step 9 - Complete Online Verification - Verify that you have completed ALL the steps. Then click on the button on the bottom right “Submit Online Enrollment Verification.”

This will complete the online portion of your enrollment verification!!

Thanks for you help with this process!!

***If you are unable to complete the Online Enrollment Verification ahead of time we will have a limited number of computers set up to help you complete your online enrollment verification at the Middle School

on either August 14 or 15 from 12pm-4pm and 5pm-7pm***

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2017-18 Breakfast and Hot Lunch Prices

Breakfast K-5 $1.656-8 $1.85*9-12 $2.00*

Lunch K-5 $2.656-8 $2.85*9-12 $3.00*

*extra Entrees are offered at the Middle School and High Schools only - $1.55 for breakfast and $2.55 for lunch. Extra Entrees are not covered by the Free and Reduced Meal Plans and requires funds in the account in order to purchase.

The following items will be available to pickup at registration August 14th and 15th:

✦ Medication Permission from (required for administration of medications at school) see Nurse table

✦ Free/Reduced School Meal Applications (optional) - Will be available at the Food Service table they can also be found online http://www.wsalem.k12.wi.us/faculty/schoolnutrition

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August 14 & 15 Registration 12pm - 4pm & 5pm - 7pm August 21 & 22 WEB Leader Training 8am -1pm

August 23 WEB Orientation for 6th graders 8:15 - 11:30am August 23 - 25 WSMS Band Camp (gr. 7 & 8)

August 29 Open House 5pm - 6:30pm September 5 First Day

Reminder from the…

Wisconsin State Law Requirement ~ Please be aware that the Wisconsin State law requirements are:Grades 6, 7 & 8:4 DTP/DTaP/DT/Td, 4 Polio, 2 MMR, 3 Hep B, 2 Varicella (Chicken Pox - dates of illness also acceptable) and 1 Tdap Any student not up to date by the 30th day of school may be excluded from school by state statute. What you need to do to avoid exclusion is:

• Provide school with month, day and year of the required immunizations

• Have your child immunized

• Sign a waiver (available from School Nurse office)

Pink medication forms are required for the following:

✴ All prescription medications that need to be given during school, including inhalers carried by students (must be signed by the parent and the physician).

✴ All over the counter medicates that my need to be given during school (must be signed by the parent)

Medication forms are available at all clinics and will be available at registration. Please bring any medications and completed medication forms to registration. Medication forms and medications can also be dropped off at open house.

Reminder: All medications and cough drops must be supplied by the parents.

At registration, the nurses will be available to verify and obtain health information that may be necessary for emergency purposes. Incoming 6th graders need to provide a copy of their updated immunization record if they have not already done so.

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2017-2018 Sports Information Students may still sign up for fall sports at the co-curricular table at registration.

ALL athletes are required to have the following on file prior to practice:

✴ WIAA physical card dated 4-1-16 or newer

~If physical is dated between 4-1-16 and 3-31-17 an alternate year card is also required

✴ Co-curricular Activity and Eligibility requirements and Code of Conduct (completed as part of online athletic registration)

✴ Sport parent & athlete agreement (completed as part of online athletic registration)

Please bring your child’s physical card or alternate year card to the co-curricular table at registration. Students will not be allowed to practice until the WIAA physical card (and alternate year card, if required) are on file in the WSMS office and the co-curricular pledge, parent code of conduct pledge and WIAA Rules of Eligibility pledge have been completed online.

If you child is in need of a sports physical PLEASE schedule it early as it is harder to get an appointment as the new school year approaches.

**You can turn in your child’s physical or alternate year card in at registration**

Fall Sports Practices….. Conference rule…….Practice can not start until school starts.

Cross Country, Football and Volleyball ~ 1st practice will be on Tuesday, September 5 from 3:30 - 5pm

Online Athletic Registration!! Go to westsalem-ar.rschooltoday.com or go to the Middle School Athletics page on the school districts website. If your child is interested in any sports please register them so we can see the numbers of who’s interested in which sport for staffing purposes. This is for a rough count not to “lock” them into any particular sport. You will need your child’s Student ID in order to register. You can locate your child’s Other ID (student ID) in Skyward under the Student Information tab. *Please see page 7 for more information.

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NEW this year…..Yearbooks order online through Lifetouch.

If you are unable to pay online with a credit or debit card, please contact Janel in the office after August 7th.

You are now able to register your athlete(s) for fall sports or any middle school sport for the 217-18 school year by going to the athletics page of the West Salem School District Website. (www.wsalem.k12.wi.us) click on Middle School then Athletics.

Any student participating in a school sport must complete this registration process prior to the first day of practice for any sport. You will need your athlete’s OTHER ID from their Skyward account in order to register your student. You can find that in your Skyward Family Access Account under the STUDENT INFORMATION tab. If you’ve registered a student in the past, the process will be much simpler this time. Simply log into your family athletic account. In addition, if you need to register a new child, you can do so on the same account. If you’ve lost your log in and/or password for the athletics registration site, you will need to chose “forgot my password” as the staff at WSMS will not be able to access that information.

If your child is planning to participate in a fall, winter or sprint sport, we suggest getting the registration process done now by picking any sport that they may be interested in. That will also give us an idea on numbers. Failure to do so will result in having to do so at a later date.

Once the registration process is completed, the only documents that need to be turned into the main office is their Physical Examination form or the Alternate year card.

Links to print off a physical card or alternate year card are also on the middle school athletic page.

Physical examinations taken April 1 and thereafter is valid for the following two school years; physical examinations taken before April 1 is valid only for the remainder of that school year and the following school year. 2017-18 sports physicals must be dated 4-1-16 or later. If you are unsure of your athlete’s last physical, please contact your physician’s office.

Online Athletic Registration…

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7th & 8th Grade Band & Color Guard Camp

All students will need to wear comfortable clothes, socks, and athletic shoes

Please bring a bottle for water.

Wednesday, August 23 12:30pm Drummers Report to WSHS Band Room 1:00pm ALL report to WSHS Band Room 4:30pm Camp Ends - Parents please drop off and pickup in West Parking Lot between the pool and the Heider Center.

Thursday, August 24 8am - Band Camp @ WSHS 12pm - Camp Ends

Friday, August 25 8am Band Camp @ WSHS 12pm Camp Ends

Upcoming Dates…. “Band Night” with WSHS Marching Band at Football Game:

Friday, September 15 at Logan High School

~5:30pm ALL Band & Color Guard (wear orange polo, black pants, black socks, black shoes). Band will perform at Halftime of West Salem Varsity Football game.

Thursday, September 28 - Torch Light Parade in La Crosse

WS Homecoming Parade: Friday, September 29 ~2:00pm ALL Band & Color Guard Report. Students wear “School Spirit” Orange, Black & White (or uniform)

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Open House - Tuesday, August 29 - 5pm - 6:30pm

Lockers Each student will receive a street locker and combination at registration. Just a reminder that lockers are only 12” wide so please keep that in mind when purchasing backpacks. All 7th & 8th graders will also receive a physical education locker and combination at registration and are expected to change clothes for class.

Panther TimeOur schedule includes a daily 30 minute class period entitled Panther Time. Panther Time was created from our staff’s work with Response to Intervention (RTI). The Panther Time has two components: an intervention block and and extension block. The intervention block is an opportunity for the reading and math instructors to re-instruct on a daily basis in the areas that the student needs further support for understanding concepts taught. It may be related to the current instruction or an area of remediation in order for the student to become more successful within the content area. Students are selected by the grade level teachers and stay in the intervention block until they have met the criteria to exit and then will be placed in the extension block. The extension block is an opportunity to expand upon concepts already within the curriculum.

Assignment NotebooksWe will be using an electronic form of an assignment notebook through our learning management system Edmodo. Teachers will set up account with students during the first week of school.

Skyward Family AccessSkyward Family Access provides a login/password for every user - be it parent or student. Every family member has his/her own Skyward account. It is important that parents use their own login/password and that students use their own login/password. As an example, students cannot add money to their lunch account using their student login/password nor can they see specific messages posted in the message center directly to parents only. At high school level students will be using their own login/password to enter course requests.

It is imperative that parents DO NOT share their access to Skyward with their student(s). At a minimum, parents will be asked to provide enrollment information on-line. Keeping your password private will prevent your student from having access to change that information during the course of the school year.

If you do not know your login/password please contact Janel Lochen in the office at 786-2090 or send an email to lochen.janel@wsalem.k12.wi.us.

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The West Salem School District prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, martial status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact the Pupil Services Director at (608) 786-0700. To file a complaint of discrimination write to: Pupil Services Director at 405 East Hamlin Street, West Salem, WI 54669 or call (608)786-0700. The West Salem School District is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

RevTrak

Online Student Fees and Meal Plan Payments

The West Salem School District provides parents an easy way to add money to your student’s food service account and to pay for school - related fees. Online payments can be made into food service accounts and fro various school fees through Skyward Family access. We are contracted with RevTrak, a national credit card payment processor, to provide a secure site for making payments.

Parents can make payments online anytime of the day. If your student’s food service balance is low, it only takes a few minutes to add money to it by using your VISA or MasterCard credit or debit card. Payments are made through the student’s Skyward Family Access account. A link to Family Access can be found on the school district’s website at http://www.wsalem.k12.wi.us

To make online payments the parent will need:

1. MasterCard, Discover or VISA (Debit or Credit card) card number and expiration date

2. Skyward Family Access Login and Password

Payments made through Family Access will immediately be posted to the student’s food service account. All credit card statements will show the payment has been made to the West Salem School District.

Instructions for Making a PaymentLog in to Skyward Family Access

Select “Food Service” or “Fee Management” from “General Information menu on the left

• For Food Service, view balance and select “Make Online Payment”

• For Fee Management, select “Make Online Payment” and select which fee(s) to apply the payment to by clicking on the corresponding “Pay Charge” box

Click on the Update payment amount button

Enter the amount you want to pay, Click on update cart

Enter payment amount and select “Pay with Vendor” and follow the steps to finish your transaction

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Student Accident InsuranceWe wish to emphasize that the School District of West Salem does not provide any type of health or accident insurance for injuries incurred by your child at school. Your personal health and/or dental insurance, homeowner’s property insurance, or other insurance carried by you will be your primary safeguard for coverage of accidents.

Note from the Office…

School starts at 7:50! Which means students need to be in their first class when the bell rings at 7:50!If your child will be absent from school, pleases call the office by 7:50 in the morning. In the event you receive the voicemail, leave a message that includes your child’s name, grade and the reason for the absence. If your child is ill, please be specific with his/her symptoms. If your child’s absence is not called in to the school in a timely manner, it is considered and unexcused absence and consequences may be assigned to the student.

You may also call ahead with any pre-planned absences and we will document it so you will not have to call again the day of the absence. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping your child’s attendance up to date and informing the school of absences in a timely manner.

HomeworkStudents should expect to have homework in math and reading on a regular basis. Math homework will be an extension of what is learned during class. Students will be given class time to work but most will have to take the homework home to complete it. In reading, students are expected to read and independent reading book nightly for a minimum of 20 min. Most other classes will have homework on an intermittent basis. You should not expect more than an hour of homework nightly. When absent,

Success CenterThe Success Center is a resource room for student’s before and after school to receive help from staff who attend various classes in the building and are equipped to walk students through information they may have missed or just do not understand. It is also the place students make up tests and quizzes. It is open from 7am until 7:45am and again from 3:10pm until 4pm. If students attend the Success Center, parents are responsible for transportation to and from school.

NewslettersMiddle School newsletters can be found on the district website under the Families tab along the top. An e-mail reminder will be sent each month to let you know when it is available along with a link to the actual newsletter. If you would like a hard copy of the newsletter, please let the Middle School office know.

AUGUST2017M T W T F 1 2 3 47 8 9 10 1114 15 16 17 1821 22 23 24 2528 29* 30* 31

NOVEMBER2017M T W T F 1 2 36 7 8 9 1013 14 ER 16 1720 21 NS NS NS27 28 29 30

FEBRUARY2018M T W T F 1 25 6 7 8 NS12 13 ER 15 1619 20 21 22 2326 27 28

MAY2018M T W T F 1 2 3 47 8 ER 10 1114 15 16 17 1821 22 23 24 25NS 29 30 31

SEPTEMBER2017M T W T F NS

NS 5 6 7 811 12 13 14 1518 19 ER 21 2225 26 27 28 29

DECEMBER2017M T W T F 14 5 6 7 811 12 ER 14 1518 19 20 21 NSNS NS NS NS NS

MARCH2018M T W T F 1 25 6 ER 8 912 13 14 15 NS19 20 21 22 2326 27 28 29 NS

JUNE2018M T W T F 14 5 6 7 SD11 12 13 14 1518 19 20 21 2225 26 27 28 29

OCTOBER2017M T W T F2 3 4 5 69 10 11 12 1316 17 18 19 NS23 24 25 NS* NS30 31

JANUARY2018M T W T FNS 2 3 4 58 9 10 11 1215 16 17 18 19NS* 23 24 25 2629 30 31

APRIL2018M T W T FNS 3 4 5 69 10 11 12 1316 17 18 19 2023 24 25 26 NS*30

NS=NoSchoolforstudents

ER=EarlyRelease(Studentsdismissedat12:20,Busesleaveat12:30)

SD=SnowDayorMake-update(June8)

*=TeacherInservice(August29&30,October26,January22,April27+2Floating)

WEST SALEM SCHOOL DISTRICT 2017-2018 CALENDAR

FirstDayofSchool:September5,2017LastDayofSchool:June7,2018GraduationDay:May27,2018EarlyReleaseDays: September20,November15, December13,February14, March7,May9October16:AnnualMeeting

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19

19

15

20

19

19

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SERVE WITH PASSION TO IGNITE CREATIVITY, INNOVATION, AND EXCELLENCE

11/14/16